[persona1138]

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Wonderful impressions. It's not cliche to say you have been hearing your music like you never have before--you literally have ever heard music in quite the same way

Quick question while I still have you: what do you mean when you say the stock cable doesn't even compare to the ALO one? I understand you needed a balanced cable to use with the HDV but what else is better? Isn't the stock cable $300 for a factory replacement? I only ask because I am also soon to purchase an aftermarket cable (for purely ergonomic and aesthetic reasons) and am wondering what I should expect.

I'll say this for the ALO Green Cable with the 4-pin XLR addition (at least, when used with my HDVD 800)... The 1/4" stock cable that came with my Sennheiser HD 800's sounds smaller in comparison.  Now, the thing I love (and find amusing) about audiophiles is that we're willing to spend $378 (+tax for the Green Cable and 4-pin XLR... Plus an additional $149 if you want the Green Line extension to give you - rather than 6 feet in length with the standard Green Line cable - an extra 4 feet [equal to the 10 foot 1/4" plug cord that comes with an HD 800]) for a minor but still noticeable difference in sound quality.  There is an appreciable difference between the standard 1/4" cable and the Green Cable w/ 4-pin XLR... Bass is deeper, the treble is clearer, and the sound stage (at least, to my ears) seems more pronounced and separated.
 
...The question is, is it worth $378 (or $527 with the extension cable, not including tax) worth the difference?  For my part, I've been going for a pure reference system with as much transparency as I can get.  I'm a film and television editor and while many HD 800 users want to temper the headphone's so-called "brighter" qualities... I personally find it has the right balance (when paired with the right amp... I highly recommend the HDVD 800 for an even, transparent sound)... I prefer when I can hear recordings for either personal or professional reasons as they were initially intended to be heard.  And for that purpose alone, I think that the ALO Audio Green Line cable was worth the price of admission.  It instantly elevated the quality, sound stage, and balance of my HD 800 headphones... Which are notoriously finicky. The standard cable is totally fine... The Green Line cable is way better (I haven't yet tried it with the 1/4" plug addition... I'm speaking solely about the 4-pin XLR, at least when paired with an HDVD 800 amp... Although, I have a 1/4" plug addition on order for use at work, and I have a sneaky suspicion that it will also sound better than the stock cable.  I also would prefer to not continually replace the Green Line cable jacks into my headphones with the stock cables just to get a 1/4" plug.)
 
One of the advantages - for my part - is that I'm taking my headphones between work and home.  My HDVD 800 stays at my place, but the mixing boards at work have 1/4" jacks.  With the Green Line cable, I can just swap out the connectors to whatever device I want to connect my headphones to.  It seemed like the most versatile but (relatively) affordable cable.  I looked at some other XLR third-party cables for the HD 800 and most went for $600 or more... And didn't include the option to swap out the plugs like the Green Line cable.  I can't speak to Cardas cables or most others - which I understand are excellent - but what I wanted was a high-end yet affordable cable, and the Green Line happened to also fit my needs with its flexibility of plug additions.
 
Anyway, long story short, I think the Green Line cable w/ 4-pin XLR addition sounds appreciably better than the standard HD 800 1/4" plug cable (at least, when using it with my HDVD 800).
 
Hope that helps and sorry to trouble your wallet, man.

 

[drez]

After 12 hours of blood sweat and tears, its done:

 

[brunk]

Quote:

After 12 hours of blood sweat and tears, its done:

Well done! Impressions please 

 

[RedBull]

and best with LCD-3 

Hmm, is it? I tried LCD3, but the vocal is less forward than 650 (which I prefer). But I'll try again.
Now I am seriously eyeing Koss ESP950. Have you tried before?

I really wanted to like my (now long sold) HD650s. But I found them too laid back and the treble too pushed back. I'd take the LCD-2s or HD800s over them (the HD600s as well). Some really like them and I wish I could too.

Maybe you tried 650 the black screen one? Somehow I think my 650 treble is not too dull it actually have more treble presence compared to HD800.

 

[RedBull]

Well done! Impressions please 

I'll cry if after 12 hrs it doesn't sound good

 

[sp3llv3xit]

Quote:

Hmm, is it? I tried LCD3, but the vocal is less forward than 650 (which I prefer). But I'll try again.
Now I am seriously eyeing Koss ESP950. Have you tried before?
Maybe you tried 650 the black screen one? Somehow I think my 650 treble is not too dull it actually have more treble presence compared to HD800.

I am really curious about the white screened 650.  Just sold my HD650 this afternoon.  That thing is dark.  Veiled is a euphemism.  It is covered under a black comforter.

 

[RedBull]

At least my white screen one has sufficient treble splash but zero vocal brightess (upper mid glare, grain).

 

[drez]

Quote:

I'll cry if after 12 hrs it doesn't sound good

 
Too true - so far it's pretty damn transparent, but that could be my brain tricking me out of crying lol.  I'm thinking of building more of the cable but not sure if my nerves would hold out, or whether people would like the ergonomics which are unavoidably bothersome and trigger the hell out of my audiophile nervosa.  Basically the cable does what it wants and I sit around it lol.

 

[longbowbbs]

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I've been enjoying my HD800 for a while now, and it seems they have drawn my close relationship with my previously beloved 4.Ai to an end. Though they may have a similar sound signature, the 4.Ai comes nowhere close in terms of detail retrieval and sounds "mushy" in comparison. I am looking to upgrade within six months and have been considering several different CIEMs. Right now the Unique Melody Miracle and 1964 Ears V6 stand at the top of my list--have any of you guys been able to find CIEMs comparable to the almighty HD800?

In terms of clarity, my JH16's are as close as I have found to the HD800's.

 

[brunk]

Quote:

 
Too true - so far it's pretty damn transparent, but that could be my brain tricking me out of crying lol.  I'm thinking of building more of the cable but not sure if my nerves would hold out, or whether people would like the ergonomics which are unavoidably bothersome and trigger the hell out of my audiophile nervosa.  Basically the cable does what it wants and I sit around it lol.

Yeah it does look pretty thick and cumbersome hehe. I'm going with a single run, but i'll be sleeving it with real carbon fiber and a Viablue y-splitter, along with a right-angle amphenol TRS jack for my BH Crack. It should look pretty nice! 

 

 

[drez]

Quote:

Yeah it does look pretty thick and cumbersome hehe. I'm going with a single run, but i'll be sleeving it with real carbon fiber and a Viablue y-splitter, along with a right-angle amphenol TRS jack for my BH Crack. It should look pretty nice! 

 

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

 

 
That carbon fibre tubing looks cool, the cable should look great!

 

[FraGGleR]

Yeah it does look pretty thick and cumbersome hehe. I'm going with a single run, but i'll be sleeving it with real carbon fiber and a Viablue y-splitter, along with a right-angle amphenol TRS jack for my BH Crack. It should look pretty nice! 

Getting a little off topic, but you aren't going to want to use carbon fiber as an outer layer. The strands break easily and can embed themselves into your skin, causing irritation. It can be covered in clear heatshrink, but that will only work for a static interconnect as it would be far too stiff for a headphone cable. Makes a great shielding layer, but terrible outer layer.

 

[Maxvla]

In your opinion or experience, which amp pairs best with the HD800?

At that price point, the Decware CSP2+

 

[Maxvla]

I would like to add I have read several CIEM review threads/articles, but would like input from fellow HD800 owners.

You will find many owners of both HD800 and Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors. I own both and they are similar.

 

[skeptic]

For those considering aftermarket cables - you might want to take a few minutes to peruse a couple of the threads which discuss soldering hd800 connectors.  In summary, as I understand it, the pins within the hd800 connectors are so tiny that it is physically impossible for large guage (e.g. 18awg) cables sold by certain retailers to be fully attached to them...  This has led to some interesting comments and questions by a number of head-fi veterans and even MOT's as to what's really going on underneath the heatshrink.   http://www.head-fi.org/t/467620/hd800-connectors-are-you-kidding-me/30
 
I've been reading up on this because I plan to either buy or diy a cable with a 4 pin xlr connector to use with my incoming bh mainline (so note that I am not a true cable naysayer).
 
That said, hyperbole and suggestions that exotic cables will shift frequency response and tame the hd800's 6khz mini-peak have to be taken with a grain of salt.  If true, this is something that would clearly show up in software like diffmaker, but reputable cable makers are generally candid about the fact that the improvements they believe their cables bring about can't be measured by traditional means.  Such measurements don't tell the whole story.  Look at the O2 for example, which measures like a champ but has a definite edge to its sound that probably correlates to a design based on the use of gobs of global negative feedback to drop the noise floor.  Cables may well make a beneficial difference based on criteria we haven't yet developed the means to measure, but obvious changes in FR is not something anyone should be expecting in upgrading their hp cable.